Saddle thoughts for baby Skylla

HufflyPuffly

HufflyPuffly

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I need to look at getting Skylla another saddle, as none of mine seem to be quite right. Looking to spend as little as I can get away with ;) as she has gone through 2 saddles already!

The saddle fitters I currently use and trust don't really do the 'cheap' end of the market so debating whether to look for something myself and then get them to fit it. Currently I've been happy to fit myself but as I'm hoping she will start doing a little more work I would like a pro to help, physio confirmed that nothing seems amiss currently (back wise) but don't want to push my luck.

However I'm not sure what to start looking at, want a straight cut with decent knee rolls (big moving, big shoulders and a spirted baby :D). She is very straight though her back, pronounced withers but could probably do with a sloping panel as she is not flat width ways just lenth ways (am I making sense?).

Picture to help with her shape, last summer but gives an idea:
web-09760_zpsne9br9wb.jpg



She's inbetween M and MW (her Tekna was M and too narrow, my MW's are a touch too wide), so adjustable would be great, but had anyone any ideas of what to start looking at?
 
It's worth looking for popular makes 2nd hand if after they've been checked they're no good they are usually not too much trouble to sell on, I consider any small loss to be the price of a trial
 
AngelitoCaz said:
It's worth looking for popular makes 2nd hand if after they've been checked they're no good they are usually not too much trouble to sell on, I consider any small loss to be the price of a trial
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Yeah it's just which brand/make/style of saddles to start looking at I'm struggling with :D, normally just go to the saddler and they bring out what they think will fit, :D.
 
Not a cheap option to start with, but cost saving in the long run, would be a Solution Saddle. We have gone down this route with our youngsters, having had the problem of never ending saddle problems with youngsters in the past. If you are an average size person, then I think you may be able to pick one up second hand. We also decided to use them with the oldies, sisters draught mare went through four of our saddles in four years, as she lost weight (much needed diet when we got her!) They are very versatile, one saddle with different pads, fits the enormous draught horse and the araby shaped dainty Appy :)
The plan is that the saddles will accomodate the youngsters getting more muscle as they work, worth a look at imo
 
I have a Monarch Dressage Saddle. Extremely comfortable, very deep seat for the bucks and farts, good quality and nice looking for the price. Knee rolls are large, but velcro so can remove if required (although I have hacked, galloped and popped a log in mine with the knee rolls on.) Also adjustable gullet, £30 from Ebay posted and very easy to change. They are also a very reasonable price.

As you can tell I love mine! You're welcome to try it if you are anywhere near me (Sussex).
 
YorksG said:
Not a cheap option to start with, but cost saving in the long run, would be a Solution Saddle. We have gone down this route with our youngsters, having had the problem of never ending saddle problems with youngsters in the past. If you are an average size person, then I think you may be able to pick one up second hand. We also decided to use them with the oldies, sisters draught mare went through four of our saddles in four years, as she lost weight (much needed diet when we got her!) They are very versatile, one saddle with different pads, fits the enormous draught horse and the araby shaped dainty Appy :)
The plan is that the saddles will accomodate the youngsters getting more muscle as they work, worth a look at imo
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Off to nosy thank you :), happy to spend if it will be long term, but to keep swopping them it ends up expensive!

AShetlandBitMeOnce said:
I have a Monarch Dressage Saddle. Extremely comfortable, very deep seat for the bucks and farts, good quality and nice looking for the price. Knee rolls are large, but velcro so can remove if required (although I have hacked, galloped and popped a log in mine with the knee rolls on.) Also adjustable gullet, £30 from Ebay posted and very easy to change. They are also a very reasonable price.

As you can tell I love mine! You're welcome to try it if you are anywhere near me (Sussex).
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Very kind but sadly miles away (Manchester), also I did have one for Topaz so know the shape and don't think it will be suitable unfortunately. Nice saddle though I can understand why you like it :D.
 
If the current saddle fits but she's between gullets what about the wider gullet and a half pad to take up some of the width. I am doing this, along with an anky pad on my young D at the moment as I know as soon as the grass grows the saddle will fit her, it's just slightly wide at the moment.
 
FfionWinnie said:
If the current saddle fits but she's between gullets what about the wider gullet and a half pad to take up some of the width. I am doing this, along with an anky pad on my young D at the moment as I know as soon as the grass grows the saddle will fit her, it's just slightly wide at the moment.
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Current saddle is Topaz's Equipe which isn't adjustable, and also seems to be moving behind a little unfortunately. I was happy to pad it but just started to notice it's not quite right. Sold the Tekna as it was the heat moulable tree not the changable gullet version, so would have been difficult to get adjusted and Topaz's fit quite well to start (albeit with padding).

Will see if I can find any adjustable gullet saddles to have a try on her, but she's so straight I'm not convinced I'm going to find anything...
 
You need something flat and close contact, adjustable headplate saddles will be too curvy in the tree, possibly too wide in the seat, and too deep a panel. If you can find one a used sport pony tree WH or showing saddle (or even straight cut GP) from the company I work for, A H Saddles, would work well, we hardly get any used at all so this is not promotion before anyone reports me!
 
No me either, tried in the past a wintec gp, monarch and then the tekna for Skylla and all have ended up not fitting. Even happy for a working hunter type saddle, tried Doodle's and it just kept sliding back :D, need to get my hands on some different styles to see what fits her shape I think, got a feeling I'm not going to have much luck at the 'cheap' idea :D.
 
sbloom said:
You need something flat and close contact, adjustable headplate saddles will be too curvy in the tree, possibly too wide in the seat, and too deep a panel. If you can find one a used sport pony tree WH or showing saddle (or even straight cut GP) from the company I work for, A H Saddles, would work well, we hardly get any used at all so this is not promotion before anyone reports me!
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I feel you are right, not seen any of your saddles in the flesh but will have a look for one. Happy for it to not be a dressage saddle, but it has to be a supportive seat anything too show'y and I may just slide stright off in any wahoo moments :D.

Any other recommendations of brand/ tree shapes, although I do understand you only deal with A H saddles ;).
 
What about an ideal saddle they tend to fit her shape quite well and they do a nice showing and working hunter style, I have had a ideal ramsay lovely saddle but it was not right on my horse as he is better in a curvy tree as his not that flat backed, or you could try and get a shim numnah and try and get the wider one to fit without adjusting it as such, you can pick up a second hand ideal fairly cheap as long as it's not too new.
 
Ideal's could work, might have to have a look for the showing/ WH types though ideally (:D sorry amused myself) a dressage saddle would be nice! Do you know if the Ramsay is particually flatter than others or do Ideal tend to use the same tree shape?
 
I think the ramsay is one of the flattest they do I had an ideal Jessica dressage that was quite curvy but I think dressage saddle tend to be more on the curvy side anyway, maybe have a look on there website it might say the tree type for each one they do, the only other make I is a fylde but I find they are a typical showing saddle so not much to hold you in and I think they hold there money as quite sought after so maybe not such a good choice.
 
Ah ok, will peruse the website, yes something thats a bit more secure would be nice! I was schooling a pony for a friend which had a proper showing style saddle and felt like I may as well be riding bareback :D, like my knee blocks and deeper seat ;).
 
AlexHyde said:
Ah ok, will peruse the website, yes something thats a bit more secure would be nice! I was schooling a pony for a friend which had a proper showing style saddle and felt like I may as well be riding bareback :D, like my knee blocks and deeper seat ;).
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I am the same I like to feel like I have a saddle underneath me I think it's mainly because they are close contact saddle so it's meant to feel like that but I am not keen and one of my horses does not suit a close contact saddle anyway so I show in a dressage saddle with normal girth straps.

I looked on the ideal site and I would say the ramsay and the working hunter are the flattest the Josephine has a Jessica tree which is curvier, you might get away with a bit of curve my other horse is a typical Arab shape wide flat no wither and my dressage saddle fits him fine I just shim it differently so it fits him but I only use LM saddles now.
 
Awaiting the delivery of my second AH saddle right now. Like any minute 😍. Just looked on the FB page and there is a list of second hand ones - and they even have the right initials for you OP ;)
 
Glad it's not just me, was a revalation when I first got a dressage saddle for Topaz, heaven after GP's! Thank you will see if I can find one to try on her.

Doodle's fairly typical Arab shape and her saddle was a no no, (Jeffries WH) slide straight back and was too wide anyway. Never use to have such issues finding saddles that fit, clearly this is my comeuppance for buying carriage horses :D.
 
FfionWinnie said:
Awaiting the delivery of my second AH saddle right now. Like any minute ��. Just looked on the FB page and there is a list of second hand ones - and they even have the right initials for you OP ;)
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I did think that (the initials) :D, hope your saddle arrives soon!
 
AlexHyde said:
I did think that (the initials) :D, hope your saddle arrives soon!
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Me too. Waited all day so I could ride in it but I'm thinking I will be riding up and down the drive in the bare back pad shortly so I don't miss him! It at least is out for delivery but I hate waiting for couriers, they often run out of time and don't bother with us here :(
 
FfionWinnie said:
Me too. Waited all day so I could ride in it but I'm thinking I will be riding up and down the drive in the bare back pad shortly so I don't miss him! It at least is out for delivery but I hate waiting for couriers, they often run out of time and don't bother with us here :(
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Me too, in fact I try to get them to take it straight to the depot so I can just go and get it rather than them try to deliver take forever to get it to the depot etc!

Being daft though, cannot see any second hand saddles on the facebook page?
 
Out of everything I own I'd try her in my Passier GP (ps baum tree) or my Thorowgood Selecta (high wither version) saddles. Both are fairly flat length ways, sit well on my horses slightly roof shaped back and are fine for huge shoulders. Thorowgood Selecta is an obsolete model so you'd only find it second hand. I'm not a saddler, just guessing.
 
Sugar_and_Spice said:
Out of everything I own I'd try her in my Passier GP (ps baum tree) or my Thorowgood Selecta (high wither version) saddles. Both are fairly flat length ways, sit well on my horses slightly roof shaped back and are fine for huge shoulders. Thorowgood Selecta is an obsolete model so you'd only find it second hand. I'm not a saddler, just guessing.
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They sound very promising thank you! You've described her back profile well so will see what I can find!

JJS said:
A Farrington WH might suit her shape.
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Yes I wondered if something like that would do.

x x
 
I'd never rated Wintecs until I got a Wintec Pro Dressage on my young warmblood who is built pretty similar to yours. Absolutely love it - and the suede finish is pretty handy for her more 'advanced' movements ;)

Unlikely to be our 'forever' saddle but as I reckon she's got at leat two years of filling out to do it is ideal for now.
 
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